Engine shot - Coolant intrusion - 74k miles on my Ford Ranger 2.3L I4 xlt

[ScarzRanger21(2.0)]

I’ve had plenty of them and never had issues with any.

Seems like everyone I know that’s owned a Ram has had issues with them. One of my buddies was the head mechanic at a dealership and said 90% of the work they did was warranty repairs on Dodge trucks. It only got worse when they merged with Fiat apparently. He doesn’t work there anymore so I can’t ask how things are since Stellantis took over.

He always said the only good thing about a Dodge truck was that they look cool and the engine was solid. Everything else was poorly designed garbage. I’ll admit that I’m biased towards Ford anyway, but you might be one of the handful of people that I’ve ever heard say anything good about Dodge vehicles.

Sponsored

 

[AzScorpion]

I’ve had plenty of them and never had issues with any.

I've owned 2 Dodge vehicles but they were older ones and they never gave me any trouble either. My parents had a couple and my friend's dad swore by them and always bought Dodge trucks with zero problems. But this was the pre covid days before everything went to

 

[woodworker]

I've owned 2 Dodge vehicles but they were older ones and they never gave me any trouble either. My parents had a couple and my friend's dad swore by them and always bought Dodge trucks with zero problems. But this was the pre covid days before everything went to

I bought this old D100 for $1000. Drove the crap out of it for 14 years, overloaded it many times, put a clutch and a water pump in it, sold it for $1000 14 years later. Old slant six with a four speed. Should have kept it. The old Dodges were much simpler than the new Fiat crap or whatever it is called nowadays.

 

[woodworker]

Seems like everyone I know that’s owned a Ram has had issues with them. One of my buddies was the head mechanic at a dealership and said 90% of the work they did was warranty repairs on Dodge trucks. It only got worse when they merged with Fiat apparently. He doesn’t work there anymore so I can’t ask how things are since Stellantis took over.

He always said the only good thing about a Dodge truck was that they look cool and the engine was solid. Everything else was poorly designed garbage. I’ll admit that I’m biased towards Ford anyway, but you might be one of the handful of people that I’ve ever heard say anything good about Dodge vehicles.

The newer ones I agree, the older ones, not so much. My son has the 2021 Ram with the 6.4 and the truck is bad ass. But they eat cams from what he reads because of that stupid cylinder cut out crap And poor oiling. I’ve had several older Dodges and never had problems with any of them.

 

[Av8or1]

I wouldn't buy anything stellantis for the next few years. They've gone the private equity route and have squeezed the US manufacturers under their control for every penny, causing the product to really go to shit. They recently fired their CEO, but who knows how long until they right the ship.

 

[woodworker]

I wouldn't buy anything stellantis for the next few years. They've gone the private equity route and have squeezed the US manufacturers under their control for every penny, causing the product to really go to shit. They recently fired their CEO, but who knows how long until they right the ship.

Agree. My son and I WERE both die hard Dodge but no more.

 

[Friday yet?]

...better than a Honda Ridgeline unibody.

Damn near anything, anything is better than an Accord with the trunk lid delete option.

 

[woodworker]

Damn near anything, anything is better than an Accord with the trunk lid delete option.

A Ridgeline with a truck cap on maybe???

 

[Friday yet?]

Agree. My son and I WERE both die hard Dodge but no more.

Look at dat Deuce!! Be still my heart!!! Total envy right now.

Sigh. "Back in da day..."

 

[woodworker]

Look at dat Deuce!! Be still my heart!!! Total envy right now.

Sigh. "Back in da day..."

Bought the fat butt truck brand new in 1999, sold it in 2019. 228,000 miles. Jacob’s exhaust brake, never even put pads or shoes on it in 20 years. Cummins 24 valve with five speed.

 

[TJC]

I am ALWAYS voiding warranties! I simply can't help myself...

 

[Friday yet?]

Can't speak for the internal warranty process for automotive manufacturers, but up until very recently I spent a number of years working for a large forklift manufacturer. And I can tell you, as an employee, you learned to hate the warranty department. Your own coworkers. Yet you end up hating them. Practically every single time you contacted warranty (while trying to help a dealer, and ultimately the retail customer) it turned into a battle... most of which you'd lose. Just ridiculous.

And when there were known issues? Warranty would desperately try to hide the scope of the problem. Heaven forbid they proactively provide the dealer facing employees with potentially needed information. Dealer would call with XYZ issues and you'd tell them, truthly, "Well that's the first I've heard of that issue. Let me check into it." Only to find out later from one of your counterparts that in territories other than your own, new(er) equipment was ing the bed all over the place for the exact same issue. An issue would have to get crazy bad before they'd release any sort of communication to address it. And often that would only be verbal on a Teams call, versus in writing.

Will say that for many years of my career I was dealing with the Class 8 truck manufacturers. As a customer, not a manufacturer employee. All in all I found them to be MUCH more fair in any sort of warranty negotiation. No doubt some on here will disagree. I can only state my experiences.

In my life I simply know that no matter what I may choose to purchase, the "warranty" is a joke. Period. I guess if nothing else that outlook reduces my stress level.

 

[Friday yet?]

Bought the fat butt truck brand new in 1999, sold it in 2019. 228,000 miles. Jacob’s exhaust brake, never even put pads or shoes on it in 20 years. Cummins 24 valve with five speed.

Nice but this is the deuce I was remembering/talking about:

 

[veedubtuner]

That's impressive right there .

Didn't find any racoons in the engine bay I hope

 

[woodworker]

Can't speak for the internal warranty process for automotive manufacturers, but up until very recently I spent a number of years working for a large forklift manufacturer. And I can tell you, as an employee, you learned to hate the warranty department. Your own coworkers. Yet you end up hating them. Practically every single time you contacted warranty (while trying to help a dealer, and ultimately the retail customer) it turned into a battle... most of which you'd lose. Just ridiculous.

And when there were known issues? Warranty would desperately try to hide the scope of the problem. Heaven forbid they proactively provide the dealer facing employees with potentially needed information. Dealer would call with XYZ issues and you'd tell them, truthly, "Well that's the first I've heard of that issue. Let me check into it." Only to find out later from one of your counterparts that in territories other than your own, new(er) equipment was ing the bed all over the place for the exact same issue. An issue would have to get crazy bad before they'd release any sort of communication to address it. And often that would only be verbal on a Teams call, versus in writing.

Will say that for many years of my career I was dealing with the Class 8 truck manufacturers. As a customer, not a manufacturer employee. All in all I found them to be MUCH more fair in any sort of warranty negotiation. No doubt some on here will disagree. I can only state my experiences.

In my life I simply know that no matter what I may choose to purchase, the "warranty" is a joke. Period. I guess if nothing else that outlook reduces my stress level.

I never waste money on warranties. Just put that much in the bank. I love these commercials for extended warranties on your car and then the people come on and say “I saved $4000 on a rear view mirror “. I’m sure there are a few that make out with them but I would like to know what the ratio is. Those companies are not in the business to lose money so you’re just really paying in advance.

Sponsored